BENGALURU: Revenue Minister R Ashoka, who is contesting against KPCC president DK Shivakumar, held a massive rally in a show of strength before filing his nomination from Kanakapura Assembly constituency on Tuesday.
The Vokkaliga strongman has been given an opportunity to exhibit that his clout transcends Bengaluru, and now he has challenged Shivakumar in his stronghold in Kanakapura. He was accompanied by BJP national general secretary Arun Singh, Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan and others.
Meanwhile, BJP candidate CP Yogeshwara filed his nomination from Channapatna to contest against former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai accompanied ministers Govind Karjol and Murugesh Nirani as they filed their papers from Mudhol and Bilgi segments respectively. Bommai attacked Congress saying that it was a sinking ship that has cheated the people of North Karnataka.
Others who filed their nominations were Minister B Sriramulu from Ballari, Byrathi Basavaraju from KR Pura, Home Minister Araga Jnanendra and Labour Minister Shivaram Hebbar from Tirthahalli and Yellapur constituencies, BC Patil filed from Hirekerur assembly seat. His daughter Shrusti Patil also filed papers from the same seat from BJP in case BC Patil’s nomination is rejected. Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri also filed his papers from Sirsi.
Meanwhile, former minister G Janardhana Reddy, who floated Kalyana Rajya Pragathi Paksha, filed his papers from Gangavathi. R Shankar, who resigned as an MLC after being denied a a ticket by BJP, filed his papers for Ranebennur seat as NCP candidate.
KPCC working president Ramalinga Reddy filed his nomination for the 10th time from BTM Layout seat, while YSV Datta, who returned to JDS from Congress, filed papers from Kadur, accompanied by former PM HD Deve Gowda. Sitting BJP MLA Arvind Limbavali’s wife Manjula S filed nomination from Mahadevapura segment. Sri Ram Sene president Pramod Muthalik filed his papers as an independent candidate from Karkala.
SAVADI FILES NOMINATION
Former DCM Laxman Savadi, the man who started the exodus from BJP after he was denied a ticket, filed papers from Athani constituency in Belagavi. Mahesh Tenginakai, who was chosen over former CM Jagadish Shettar, filed papers from Hubballi-Dharwad Central seat as BJP candidate
NOMINATIONS IN BENGALURU
KJ George (Sarvajnanagar), BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan (Chamara-jpete), M Krishnappa (Vijayanagar), Suresh Kumar (Rajajinagar), S R Vishwanath (Yelahanka), Priya Krishna (Govindrajanagar), Byrathi Suresh (Hebbal), Umesh Shetty (Govindrajanagar), and CK Ramamurthy (Jayanagar)
DK SURESH MAY CONTEST FROM PADMANABHANAGAR
Bengaluru: Congress is likely to field Congress MP DK Suresh from Padmanabhanagar against Revenue Minister R Ashoka. Congress has already given the B form to Raghunath Naidu from Padmanabhanagar. However, there is a buzz that KPCC president DK Shivakumar has sought back the B form from Naidu. Speaking to TNIE, Naidu said, “Let both the brothers contest against Ashoka. They will take the decision. B form is with me. If party leaders decide to allow Suresh, I will happily step back.” Meanwhile, Suresh also said he will abide by party high command decision